Race winner Jenson Button of Britain is sprayed by second place Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel, left, of Germany, and third place Red Bull driver Mark Webber, right, of Australia, during victory ceremonies at the Canadian Grand Prix, Sunday, June 12, 2011, in Montreal.Paul Chiasson
While it took what felt like forever and fans were likely soaked to the bone when it was finally done, Montreal's rain-soaked Formula One race delivered a result the series needed.
After five wins in the first six races, having anyone other than reigning champion Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull on the top step of the podium in Montreal was something that many in the paddock and in the stands hoped to see.
After a two-hour rain delay stretched the race to more than four hours after the green flag flew on the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, McLaren driver Jenson Button was happy to oblige, taking advantage of an uncharacteristic mistake by Vettel on the final lap to steal a win. But it wasn't easy.
"The previous lap, I got DRS [drag reduction system, or moveable rear wing] and I wasn't really close enough to make a move but I felt I was creeping closer and it could have been one of those moves on the last lap into the last corner but it didn't go that far because Seb put a wheel onto the wet surface and ran wide," Button said.
"I will take that. I think after [a third place finish two weeks ago in] Monaco, which again was a great race for me, to get the win here and get some luck in the end I think we deserved that."
Having a different winner than Vettel is the good news. But the fact remains that the young German has dominated in a way not seen since seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher trounced the field in 2004 when he won an incredible 11 of the first 12 grand prix.
With the threat of another complete humiliation of the field possible, even Vettel's teammate Mark Webber got into the act, suggesting in the post-race press conference at the Chinese Grand Prix that he's also tired of seeing his teammate win.
"Of course Seb is in the same team but he has been on a phenomenal run and we are all here together fighting for victories," Webber said after McLaren's Lewis Hamilton took the chequered flag in Shanghai.
"Shame McLaren won in a way, but also we can't let Seb get too far away, so it was good day for the racing and good day for us in terms of points for the team."
Although a win by anyone but Vettel was welcomed, Canada also revealed some bad news for fans and competitors alike. With its stop-and-start configuration and lack of high-speed corners, Montreal's Circuit Gilles Villeneuve certainly doesn't suit the Red Bull's RB7 car and many thought they would be vulnerable in Canada.
Nevertheless, Vettel put up the best overall time in the three pre-race practice sessions before qualifying on pole by almost two-tenths of a second, and then leading all but one lap in the race.
In fact, until he made a mistake, Vettel was in complete control of a race that was supposed to be a difficult one for him to win.
"Of course I am disappointed - being in the lead for all the race and knowing that it was so difficult. It was a tricky race," Vettel said.
"It is important to finish, especially in a race like that, but to do the mistake in the last lap, which was probably only the real mistake I did in the whole race, at the moment it is not very sweet but that's how it goes."
In the end, Vettel and Red Bull beat themselves rather than another team stepping up and making them honest. After the race, the young German admitted that he should have pushed much harder after the final safety car period late in the race and try to build a bigger gap from the pack. That way, he suggested, the mistake would not have been so costly.
"I was building up something like a four-second lead and then I thought that the people behind would run a similar pace, so I wasn't trying to pull away too much because I don't know what might happen afterwards with tires or another safety car phase. I was probably a bit too cautious there. If I would have pulled away by six or seven seconds, then it would have been a different story."
Judging from Vettel's body language in the post-race press conference, he wasn't exactly pleased with his strategic or driving mistakes and is unlikely to make one again.
And that too isn't great news.
When 107 per cent is not 107 per cent
While the stewards were busy handing out several penalties during Sunday's Canadian Grand Prix, the strangest ruling of the weekend came following qualifying when Jerome d'Ambrosio failed to post a time within 107 per cent of the best effort in the first session. Under the F1 rules, any driver not meeting this standard is not allowed to start the race.
Instead, the stewards decided to allow the Virgin driver in the field because he was forced to qualify with a spare car that was not completely set up for him due to a hard crash in the final practice session. So, in essence he was given a free pass into the race because he made a massive mistake and wrote off his car. Go figure.
Jeff Pappone